Streamer line rail



Jan. 28, 1936. A H ON 2,028,750

STREAMER LINE RAIL Filed Jan. 14, 1935 INVENTOR GEASh Z0 17/ BY (2% sum ATTORN EY Patented Jan. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,028,750 S TREAMER. LINE RAIL Charles Edwin Ashton, Stockton, Calif. Application January 14, 1935, Serial No. 1,635

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in railway rail joints, my principal object being to provide a joint between adjacent rails so constructed that there is no tendency for the separated ends of the rails to wear down, and cause the low spots had with the ordinary form of rail joint and which set up a considerable noise when the rolling stock is passing thereover, and which have an Extremely detrimental efiect on the rolling stoc My improved joint being practically immune to wear as regards the above named feature, it will last much longer than rails having the ordinary joint, and the rolling stock using. the rails will also stand up much longer, since the destructive thumping and pounding is eliminated. The rails are separated the necessary distance to permit of the unavoidable expansion in hot weather, but on account of the peculiar form of the joint the actual width of this space may be very much less than is necessary with the ordinary joint, and with the greatest contraction of the rails this space is so small as to be negligible as far as any detrimental effect on the wheel, passing thereover or on the rails themselves, is concerned.

, I have also provided a novel form of fish plate which may be optionally used with my rail joint structure and which if employed permits of the saving of several standard length rails per mile of track, without any detrimental effect on the rails or rolling stock. I

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceediiigly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of rails .at their adjacent ends showing my improved joint.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the rails centrally of the joint,'as on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan of a special form of fish plate usable with my rail joint.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of rails at their adjacent ends, showing the special fish plate installed in connection therewith.

Referring now more particularly to the char-- acters of reference on the drawing, the rails are of standard cross sectional form having a head I, a web 2, and a base flange 3. At its ends the web of each rail is cut on a relatively long vertical diagonal 4, with right angle transverse cuts 5 and 8 through the head and base flange from the inner and outer ends of the diagonal cut re- 5 spectively to the adjacent side edges of the head and flange.

When the ends of the rails are placed in cooperating relationship therefore, the diagonal cuts are disposed adjacent and are parallel to each other, 10 while the right angle cuts are also parallel to each other. The wheels passing over the joint thus alwaysengage with the overlapping portions of both rails simultaneously. There is therefore no possibility of the wheels pounding 15 down and flattening the rails at the right'angle cuts, so that the latter may be separated a considerable distance, as climatic conditions may require, to allow for expansion, without any such flattening action being had. Silent and non- 20 wearing operation at all times is thus assured and the severe jarring and resultant detrimental action to the rolling stock, and to the annoyance of persons riding thereon is eliminated. The outermost ends of the rails overlap each other for 25 a considerable distance, so that such end of one rail may rest on the same tie which also supports the adjacent rail, so that relative up and down movement between adjacent rails at their ends is avoided.

Fish plates 1 of conventional form are disposed on opposite sides of the rails at'the joint and are connected by bolts 8 which pass through holes 9 drilled through the diagonal cut portions of the webs. The rail ends are thus held against lateral 30 deflection and relative spreading or misalinement and even if the fish plates should break, the rails will still be held against relative lateral movement by the bolts. Proper alineme'nt of the side edges of the rails at their adjacent ends is thus assured at all times.

I have also provided a special form of fish plate which may be used in connection with my particular rail joint, when it is desired to save a certain number of rails per mile of track. In this case the rails are separated lengthwise a greater distance than is necessary to allow for contraction so that gaps of considerable length are formed between adjacent pairs of the right 50 angle cuts 5 and 6, as shown in Figure 4. The length of these gaps, which is the same between all rails, is suflicient toenable several less rails to be used per mile of track than when the rails are. closely disposed. In thus separating the rails 6..

his noted that whiiethe length otthe above mentioned gaps is considerabie, the gaps formed between the diagonal cuts are relatively small is the side engaged by the wheel flanges) is formed with asectional head block I l :of a size and shape to fit the gap in the rail heads between the adjacent cuts 5 and 6 on that side of the rail, so

thatia continuous wheel engaging surface ever the gap and between adjacent rails is provided. Alsciformed'with the block on a level therewith and' extending the full height of-the rails a filler or shim plate l2. disposed at an angle to the fish :plate thesame as that which the diagolnal cu't makes with the web 015 the rail. Said flller plate is adapted to substantially fill the space or gap between the separated diagonal cuts 4 0i adiacent rails. Here again silent and non-pounding operation is obtained and it is not necessary to flll the gap on the outer side at the rails since the wheel treads bear solidly on the'inner po ion of the corresponding rail when passing over such gap. 2?

From the foregoing descriptionit will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as setforth herein. i? Y While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from. such detail may be resorted tcF as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the" appended claims. v

Having thus described my invention, what I agoasmo claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patient is;

1. A joint structure comprising a pair of longitudinally alined rails formed at each end with a relatively long diagonal cutcthrough the head and web and right angle cuts the heads of the rails from the ends of .the diagonal cuts on opposite sides to the adjacent sides of the headsrsaid right angle cuts of the adiacent ends of adjacent rails being spaced apart' longitudinally of the rails and the diagenal cuts overlapping but being spaced apart transversely of the rails, a fish plate to engage the web of the rail on one side, a rail-head porti'n on the fish plate fitting in the gap formed between the' separated right-angle cuts of'jthe raiLj-ends to provide a continuous wheel engaging surface, and a shim-plate rigid with the fish plate and disposed atian acute angle theret and fitting the gap between the diagonal cuts of the corresponding rail ends. 7 1

2. A rail joint structure comprising a pair of longitudinally sflined rails formed at adjacent ends with matching relatively long diagonal cuts through the heads and webs and right angle cuts through the heads of the rails from the ends of the diagcnalcutg on opposite sides to the adjacent sides of the heads; said right angle cuts of the adjacent ends of adjacent rails being spaced apart lengthwise of the rails, a fish plate to engage the ;ail webs on one side, and a rail head portion rigid with the fishplate fittingjn the i gap formed between the spaced right angle cuts of the rail ends on the same side of the rjails as said fish plate. 1:

* CHARLES EDWIN ASH'EON. 

